This invention relates to a needle safety guard, particularly to an needle safety guard applicable to and intended for use in conjunction with a needle assembly, especially a Huber needle assembly.
Huber needles are widely used in the medical field, typically in oncology applications in conjunction with vascular access devices, particularly those located subcutaneously. As with other applications of needles utilized in conjunction with vascular applications, it is specially important to cover or shield used needles from the patient, other patients or healthcare providers. In that regard, it is important to provide protective measures that are not only effective, but that are easy to use and relatively low in cost.
In one aspect, the invention relates to a safety guard adapted for use with a needle assembly that includes a main body, a pair of butterfly wings extending outwardly from the main body and a needle extending at an angle, preferably perpendicularly, from an end portion of the main body comprising: an elongated substantially hollow shield, the shield having open ends and an elongated slot extending between the open ends; a spring connected to the assembly and the shield such that the slot and the needle are substantially parallel; and a fastener adapted to position the shield in a first position substantially parallel to the main body, and to permit the shield to pivot to a second position through spring force to surround and/or trap the needle.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a safety guard adapted for use with a needle assembly that includes a main body, a pair of butterfly wings extending outwardly from the main body and a needle extending at an angle, preferably perpendicularly, from an end portion of the main body comprising: a shield having opposed open ends; a coiled spring surrounding the needle and connected between the main body end portion and the shield; and a fastener adapted to position the shield in a first position relative to the butterfly wings such that the shield does not impede contact of the butterfly wings with a patient target surface, and to permit the shield to slide to a second position through spring force to surround and/or trap a distal end portion of the needle.
In yet another aspect, the invention relates to a combination needle assembly and needle safety guard comprising: a main body; a needle extending at an angle, preferably perpendicularly, from an end portion of the main body; a shield having opposed open ends and having a hollow portion slidably positioned around the needle; a pair of folding legs connected between the main body and the shield; and a fastener adapted to position the shield in a first position to maximize the needle exposure, and to permit the shield to slide along the needle to a second position through unfolding of the legs to surround and/or trap a distal end portion of the needle.